Ellis County commissioners approve routine reorganizations, contract renewals, tax abatement and budget items

The Ellis County Board of County Commissioners approved a slate of routine reorganizations, contract renewals and resolutions during its Jan. 14 meeting, voting unanimously on each item.

Reorganization and appointments: Commissioners approved the annual reorganization motions, appointing Michael Burgess as chair of the Board of County Commissioners and Neil Younger as vice chair for 2025 and making other departmental and board appointments listed in the record. The commission also approved reorganizational votes for the Public Building Commission, appointing Michael Burgess president and Neil Younger vice president.

Inventory and administrative renewals: The commission approved the countywide inventory report and signed off on department inventories. The clerk reported the inventory submission was a lengthy packet of about 400 pages and department heads certify the items listed. The board also approved renewal contracts for core software services: the county’s Microsoft Office 365 license renewal (purchase order for $42,624 to Liftoff) and the CIC Peopleware annual maintenance agreement ($65,195). Commissioners and staff said those renewals are standard annual expenses; the Office 365 increase in recent years reflects additional user licenses rather than a large per-license rate hike.

Property tax abatement for Brown property: The commission adopted Resolution 2025-01 granting a tax abatement for Richard and Janice Brown after their residence was destroyed by fire on Jan. 20, 2024. Under the statutory process discussed at the meeting (transcript reference to KSA 70 9 6 Dash 16 1 3), the Browns had already paid taxes and are entitled to a credit in the amount of $1,281.68; commissioners approved the request.

Budgetary and policy items: Commissioners adopted an annual resolution waiving generally accepted accounting principles reporting in favor of the state-authorized cash basis reporting structure; staff said changing to GAAP-based reporting would require additional personnel and increase audit costs. The board also approved participation in the Kansas Rural Opportunity Zone program, allocating $15,000 in the county budget to support up to 10 applicant slots (two slots already filled by state approval). Commissioners adopted a resolution setting the 2025 salary step adjustments for elected officials consistent with the county pay plan and approved an update to the personnel policy to restore Section 9.11 on PTO sellback; the county administrator said the PTO sellback payouts are budgeted and are scheduled for payment in April.

Votes and procedure: Nearly all items were approved by motions and unanimous voice votes or recorded as passing 3-0. Several motions were moved and seconded on the record; most roll-call tallies in the transcript are recorded as unanimous ayes. The commission recessed twice for executive sessions on non-elected personnel matters and returned to regular session with no decisions announced from those sessions.

What passed (high-level): consent agenda; reorganizational appointments (chair/vice chair and board appointments); Ellis County 2025 inventory report; Microsoft Office 365 renewal, $42,624 to Liftoff; CIC Peopleware agreement renewal, $65,195 to CIC; Resolution 2025-01 Brown property tax abatement ($1,281.68 credit); waiver of GAAP standards; Rural Opportunity Zone designation and $15,000 allocation; elected-official salary step adjustments; personnel policy update (Section 9.11 PTO sellback); Public Building Commission reappointments.

Commissioners and staff said most items were routine, budgeted or mandated by statute or long-standing county policy. Several commissioners noted the community response to the Brown family’s fire and praised volunteer efforts to assist the homeowners.